Sleeping Beauty
by Elly Phantomhive
Summary: Orihime is only 8 years old when she's cursed by her aunt and is doomed to die before the day is out. How far will best friend Ichigo go to save her? Re telling of Sleeping Beauty.


**ok ok i know still not mine ch.3 but its coming i promise! its just... this hit me like a bolt of lightning and i had to get it out. " please don't kill me! DX besides, I wanted to try something new... written with my beta Nerdy boy. Enjoy!**

**i don't own bleach or any of its characters**

Once upon a time... well actually not that long ago there were two small children, of only 8 years old, who's fates were about to change forever... Orihime was a quiet and shy child she had long red hair and big brown eyes. She was a high achiever at school and lived with her mother, father and big brother. Ichigo on the other hand was loud and friendly. He had short spiky hair and honey coloured eyes.

Ichigo and Orihime were the best of friends and today was her birthday. Today was the day their lives would change forever.

Everyone close to Orihime was there, eager to celebrate the young girl's birthday. Her parents had set up the house in a variety of beautifully coloured decorations. Her best friend was by the food, drooling at the food Orihime's aunts made. Orihime sat by the kitchen counter as she watched her mother and aunts finish her birthday cake.

Far away across the city lived one final aunt; all alone, mad, and wicked. Her evil ways drove the rest of the family away. They started to ignore her for what she does. This day she was looking for revenge.

Revenge that would cripple the family and leave them wishing they had never excluded her. They would rue the day they left her out. The subject of her revenge? Orihime. Everybody loved the little princess, they would all be distraught, the thought made the wicked old lady smile to herself. And with one last sweeping glance around her grubby apartment she left, making her way to her little niece's party.

The party was in full swing, children were playing in the garden and parents were gathered sound watching and talking on the patio when there was a loud knock on the door.

"I wonder who that is" Orihime's mother muttered to herself as she went inside to open the door. Mere moments later a twisted old woman stood in the middle of the lawn surrounded by frightened children and Orihime's enraged parents. The years had not been kind to Orihime's aunt, like they had her mother, and the woman easily looked 20years older than her actual 30 years.

"How dare you exclude me!" she raged "I am an Inoue too yet you shun me and forget about me while you all party and you shall pay dear sister" she spat the last two words as if they were venom threatening to poison her. Slowly she turned to her frightened niece cowering next to her friends.

"You!" she pointed "A curse be upon, you, child! Today the day of your 8th birthday, you will die. Before the day is out your heart shall stop and you will leave this world!" And with a cold cruel laugh she left as suddenly as she had arrived.

Orihime ran to her mother who held her baby tight, too stunned to say a word. Minutes passed in silence before a tiny voice broke it.

"I can't remove the curse... but I can soften it" It was Orihime's other aunt.

Suddenly the young girl's mother sprang to life. "Do it! Please do what you can!" She begged with tears in her eyes. "Please... save my baby"

Orihime looked at her aunt bewildered at how she could be saved from her cruel curse. "Listen to me very carefully little one this is important. At the death of the day, as the sun is setting you will not die, instead your eyes will close and your heart will slow, slow but not stop, and you will sleep. Orihime Inoue you will sleep until a time where you receive true love's first kiss. The Inoue household will also fall into a deep sleep until the youngest Inoue awakens from her sleep" The spell was sealed with a kiss to the young girl's cheek and a gentle stroke of her hair.

The couple of hours remaining were spent with certain unease. Even with the upcoming sleep they remained terrified.

They tried to ready themselves, preparing Orihime's bed first. They made it as comfortable and inviting as possible.

With a heavy heart Orihime said goodbye to her friends knowing it would be many years before she saw them again. Lastly was Ichigo she almost lost herself to tears when she had to say goodbye. But she put on a brave face and hugged him goodbye.

Orihme lay down to sleep, her eyes slowly closing and forcing a smile as Ichigo watched. Everyone followed soon after. Ichigo saw them all fall into a deep sleep. Ichigo let out a deep sigh and slowly made his way out of the house, looking back one more time he stepped outside and closed the door. After walking just a few steps away from the house, a huge tremble was felt; vines erupted from the ground covering the house forming brambles. A huge wave of vines erupted from the house, Ichigo ran for his life as the brambles started to consume the land. Ichigo ran until he was out of breath and could run no longer. He turned to see what happened behind him. His eyes filled with terror to see the aftermath of a vile curse.

The house had been swallowed by a tangle of vines and brambles so thick that the house was no longer visible and all that could be seen was the thorny vegetation. Ichigo could stay strong no longer, falling to his knees he wept.

Ichigo wept for hours until the sun had fully set and nightfall had claimed the land. Ichigo wept until he ran out of tears and with a heavy heart he picked himself up off of the ground and trudged wearily home.

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Didja like it? please review if you did! multiple chapters to come look out for them! thanks for reading guys.


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